Champions League club ready for a ‘new chapter’ with Yaya Toure as their new manager
Manchester City legend Yaya Toure has just taken on his first big job as a head coach, leading a team that will play in the Champions League next season. The former Ivory Coast star has worked in several coaching roles since retiring, including assistant manager and youth academy coach.
Most recently, Toure was the assistant coach for Saudi Arabia from November 3, 2023, where he teamed up again with his old Manchester City boss, Roberto Mancini. At 43, Toure has coached in Russia, Ukraine, and also worked with Tottenham’s academy. He even had a short spell with Belgian club Standard Liege. Now, he’s been named the manager of Slovan Bratislava on a three-year contract.
Toure brings a lot of experience from his playing days, where he won five league titles with both Barcelona and Manchester City. Slovan Bratislava will be hoping he helps them win the Slovak Super League again. They last missed the title in 2018, so Toure will aim to keep that streak going. Another goal is to help the team reach the Champions League group stage again since they qualified for 2024-25 but didn’t make it last season after being knocked out in qualifiers.
Talking about his new role, Toure said, “I’m very happy and excited, and I can’t wait to start working with the team on Monday. My predecessor did a great job, and I want to build on that while adding my own style. Soccer means everything to me. I love challenges and I’m excited to coach a club with a rich history, great stadium, and big goals. I was pleasantly surprised by the top-quality facilities. With Slovan, I want to play strong soccer, win matches, and bring joy to our fans.”
He’ll be helped by Darren O’Dea, a former Ireland international, who will be his assistant manager. O’Dea has plenty of coaching experience from his time with Celtic B and as Swansea City’s caretaker manager.
The club’s CEO is excited about bringing in a former Champions League winner. He said, “We are very happy to have Yaya Toure as our new head coach. Signing a three-year deal with him marks the start of a new chapter for Slovan Bratislava, and we look forward to working together starting Monday.”